VanGorkom, Cornelius 1868-1956 & Geiseina Warntjes Family

VANGORKOM, WARNTJES, OXENAAR, HEUGSTBERGUM, BOELENS

Posted By: Wilma J. VandeBerg -volunteer (email)
Date: 10/29/2024 at 13:47:28

Van Gorkom, Cornelius 1868-1956 & Geiseina Warntjes Family

This story was taken from pages 523-524 of the Maurice Centennial Book (1891-1991). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added.

Cornelius (Neil) Van Gorkom (1868-1956) was the son of Isaac Van Gorkom II (1821-1898) and Mariea Oxenaar (1825-1889) of the Netherlands, who immigrated to the United States in 1849, and settled in Pella, Iowa. They emigrated from Utrecht, Netherlands, with two of their small children. Their other seven children were born in Pella, Iowa, with Cornelius being the youngest.

Also immigrating to the United States between 1847 and 1856, were other members of the Van Gorkom family, including Cornelius’ grandfather, Isaac Van Gorkom I (1796-1886) and wife Antonia Van Heugstbergun (1782-1870) who came over in 1854. Other members of the family arrived in four different boat journeys and settled in and around Marion County, Pella, Iowa, (nine of their twelve children).

Cornelius was married in 1894, to Geisena Warntjes (1873-1943), who was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to the United States along with a sister Gertrude (1875-1957) and two brothers, after their mother died and their father remarried. Gertrude was married to Pete Walraven and lived in Maurice part time, but moved to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada, with her daughter Katherine (1903-1953), where they both died and are buried.

On April 30, 1898, a tornado destroyed the Van Gorkom home in Maurice. While attempting to enter a storm cellar, Cornelius Van Gorkom’s father, Isaac Van Gorkom II, was pinned in the cellar and hurt internally. This injury resulted in his death a few days later. During the tornado Cornelius’ wife, Geisena, lost her gold wedding band. Many years later, when her oldest son, John, was ten or twelve, he found his mother’s wedding ring while hoeing in the garden!

Cornelius and Geisena lived in Maurice all their lives, and raised their eight children there, all of whom attended the Maurice school. They were members of the American Reformed Church, and Geisena was a member of the women’s church choir. Cornelius was a carpenter most of his adult life, and also a portrait photographer and wallpaper hanger. He also tended a large garden behind the house and spent much of his later years fishing. A favorite memory of his grandchildren is the double-seated glider swing they all loved to sit in, that he built.

Children of Cornelius and Geisena are: (Isaac) John (1894-1960) who married Jeanne De Vries; Gertrude (1897-1902), died at the age of five; Merinas (1899-1956) who married Edna Baumann; Geisena (Goldie) (1901-1971), who married Albert Nagel; Edward (1903-1932), who married Hazel Stewart; Cora (1906-1983), who married Clarence Singer; Ada (1909-1970), who married Clarence Sinkey; and Lester (1915-1979), who married Olive Todd from Belfast, Ireland, and a second marriage to Margaret Haley from Memphis, Missouri.

Grandchildren of Cornelius and Geisena are: Children of John – (1) Mildred m. Verne Schultz; (2) Margaret m. Owen Olsen; (3) Evelyn m. Harry Lawdahl. Children of Merinas – (1) Marie; (2) Ronald; (3) Jerry; (4) Karen; (5) Shirley m.Steve Ausburger. Children of Lester – (1) Patricia m. (Wait) Key: (2) Linda m. Mark Stevens; (3) Alan m. Betty Tague; (4) David; (5) Kathy. Children of Geisena (Goldie) – (1) Virginia m. Don Lawrenson; (2) Merlyn; (3) Dwight. Children of Ada – (1) Mavis m. Robert Slawson; (2) Stanley (who died in his teens). Children of Cora – (1) Blanche m. Leonard Wiederholt; (2) Donald. There are many great grandchildren and great great descendants.

Cornelius and Geisena are both buried in the Maurice cemetery and Cornelius’ parents, Isaac and Maria also died and are buried in Maurice.

IN MEMORY OF Cornelius Van Gorkom Family by Granddaughter Blanche Wiederholt
(end of Story in the Maurice Book)

RESEARCH Notes: From a family report on ancestry.com public member trees submitted by other than this submitter. Gesiena’s birth record from www.wiewaswie.nl .

Cornelius Van Gorkom was born 19 Mar 1865 Pella, Marion, IA died 9 Apr 1956 Hawarden, Sioux, Iowa. His parents were Isaac van Gorkom born 10 Jul 1821 Utrecht, Netherlands died 15 may 1898 Marion County IA, and Maria Oxenaar born 28 Nov 1825 Utrecht Netherlands and died 16 Spe 1889 Maurice IA. Cornelius married Gesiena Warntjes 1894 at Maurice IA.

Gesiena Warntjes was born 7 Jan 1873 Vrieschello, Bellingwolde, Groningen, Netherlands and died 1 Feb 1943 Sioux County IA. Her birth record from the Netherlands shows Geessien Warntjes was born 7 Jan 1873 at Vrescheloo, Bellingwolde. Her parents were Jan Warntjes a day worker age 35, and Geeske Hinderks Boelens. Cornelius and Gesiena had the following children:

CHILDREN: Information from Find A Grave and from obits taken from the local web page at www.iagenweb.org/sioux .

1. Isaac John Van Gorkom born 13 Oct 1894 Sherman Tsp. Sioux Co. IA died 1 Nov 1960 DesMoines IA. See his obit on this web page. His wife was Jeane De Vries. They had  three daughters, Mrs. LaVerne Schultz of Ft. Madison; Mrs. Owen Olson of Grand Island, NE; and Mrs. Harry Lawdahl of Houston, TX; a brother, Lester Van Gorkom of Maurice

2. Gertrude Van Gorkom born 1 May 1897 Sherman Tsp. Sioux Co. IA died 1902 Maurice IA. She died at the age of five years old.

3. Merinas Van Gorkom born 7 Jun 1899 Maurice Sioux Iowa died 17 Dec 1956 IA. He married Edna Baumann. They had five children, Merle, Ronald, Karen, Jerry and Shirley. See his obit on this web page.

4. Gesiena ‘Goldie’ Van Gorkom born 24 Sep 1901 Maurice IA, died 23 Jul 1971 Sioux City IA. Her husband was Albert Edward Nagel, Children listed in Births, marriages and deaths on ancestry were – Virginia G. Lawersen, Merlyn Shannon Nagel, and Dwight Garth Nagel.

5. Edward Cornelius Van Gorkom born 30 Nov 1903 Maurice Sioux Iowa died 5 Mar 1936 Cedar Rapids IA. He married Hazel Stewart of Marion in 1931, No children listed, see his obit on this web page.

6. Cora Van Gorkom born 17 May 1906 Maurice Sioux Iowa died 1 Apr 1983 LeMars IA. She married Clarence Singer One child listed in Find a Grave as Donald Lee Singer.

7. Ada Van Gorkom born 30 Oct 1909 Maurice Sioux Iowa died 12 Jul 1971 Sioux City IA She married Clarence Sinkey, they had one daughter, Mrs. Robert (Mavis) Slawson of Columbia, Maryland. See her obit on this web page.

8. Lester Wilson Van Gorkom born 21 Sep 1915 Maurice Sioux Iowa died 28 May 1979 Memphis TN. Burial Jefferson Tsp. Scotland Co. MO. Wives Olive Todd Geeron `928-2007. and Margaret Durham Bissell Haley 1927-1967. One child listed at David Van Gorkom.

OBITUARY OF CORNELIUS VAN GORKOM
Sioux Center News of apr 12, 1956 p.10
CORNELIUS VAN GORKOM, 88
Funeral services for Cornelius Van Gorkom of Maurice, who passed away Monday, April 9, were held Wednesday, April 11, at 1:00 at the Lester Van Gorkom home and at 1:30 at the Maurice First Reformed church with Rev. David Laman officiating. Burial was in the Maurice cemetery with Vander Ploeg Funeral Service in charge of arrangements. Pall bearers were Clifford Heusinkveld, John Weyers, Ben Boone, William Korver, George De Groot, and Ben Van Roekel.
Mr. Corneluis Van Gorkom passed away Monday morning at nursing home at Hawarden at the age of 88 years. Mrs. Gesiena Van Gorkom preceded him in death on February 1, 1943. Mr. Van Gorkom is survived by five children, John Van Gorkom of Des Moines; Marinus Van Gorkum of Struble; Sena, Mrs. Albert Nagel of Sioux City; Cora, Mrs. Clarence Singer of Le Mars; Ada, Mrs. Clarence Sinkey of Sioux City; and Lester Van Gorkom of Maurice. One son, Ed, preceded him in death in 1932 as well as one daughter who died early in life. He is further survived by 17 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. Mr. Van Gorkom’s brothers and sisters have all preceded him in death.

OBITUARY OF GEISENA VAN GORKOM 1875-1943 Spelled Van Gorkum in newspaper obits.

Sioux Center News, February 4, 1943
Mrs. Cornelius Van Gorkum of Maurice passed away at the Sacred Heart Hospital at LeMars on Monday evening, Feb. 1, 1943, at the age of 68 years. Left to mourn her departure are the husband Mr. Cornelius Van Gorkum and six childlren: John Van Gorkum of Des Moines; Pvt. Marinus Van Gorkum stationed at Fort Knox, KY; Mrs. Albert E. Nagel of Sioux City; Mrs. Clarence Singer of LeMars; Mrs. Gesiena Sinkley of Sioux City; Pvt. Lester Van Gorkum with the U.S. Army in Ireland.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Feb. 4, 1943 at the American Reformed Church at Maurice. Burial will be made at the Maurice Cemetery.
The obit was also carried in the Sioux County Capital Orange City IA. Feb 11, 1943 with basically the same information.

Picture is from page 523 of the Maurice book.

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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